Sheet metal puller

ABSTRACT

A tool for pulling out dents in the metal of automobiles. This tool consists of a block having a pair of rod members for insertion into drilled openings in the sheet metal, the tool being adaptable for pulling out dents in areas where access to the rear side of the sheet metal is impossible.

United States Patent Reinke [54] SHEET METAL PULLER [72] inventor:Edward C. Reinke, 3230 Braun Court,

Golden, Colo. 80401 [22] Filed: July 22, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 24,908

[52] US. Cl ..72/460, 72/705 [51] Int. Cl ..B2ld 1/12 [58] field ofSearch ..72/705, 460, 379, 476, 457,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1959 Steck ..72/705 1 Feb.15,1972

Kliss 72/ 705 Fannin.

Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-Gene P. CrosbyAttorney-Bertha L. MacGregor [57] ABSTRACT A tool for pulling out dentsin the metal of automobiles. This tool consists of a block having a pairof rod members for insertion into drilled openings in the sheet metal,the tool being adaptable for pulling out dents in areas where access tothe rear side of the sheet metal is impossible.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SHEET METAL PULLER This invention relates totools for body and fender work and the like.

It is therefore the primary purpose of this invention to provide a sheetmetal pulling device which will be used to pull out dents in automobilebodies in areas of the vehicle where access to the rear side of thesheet metal is not available.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed which will be of blocklike structure having a pair of threadedrods, the rods being insertable in drilled holes in the sheet metal fromthe front side, the rods being of L- shaped configuration so as to forma bearing surface against the back side of the sheet metal in order thatthe metal may be pulled outwards in order to repair the damage to thevehicle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed which will have eye means for the insertion of jacks or othertools for applying a pulling force upon the metal to be straightened.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a sheet metalpulling device which will include a penplate member for accuratelydrilling the holes through the sheet metal in order to insert the rodsof the device.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a sheet metal pullingdevice which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged inconstruction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will become readily evident upon a study of thefollowing specification together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 11 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a vertical side view of the present invention shown inelevation and partly broken away;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a drill-hole tempered tool for use in drillingholes in sheet metal to accommodate the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is a vertical view of a T-bar of use with the invention, thedevice being shown in elevation.

According to this invention, a sheet metal pulling device is shown toinclude a rectangular block 11 made of metal or other suitable material.Block 11 is provided with a pair of parallel spaced-apart openings 12which extend through the entire block 11, positioned centrally betweenopenings 12 is a threaded opening 13 for purpose which hereinafter willbe described. One of the openings 12 of block 11 slideably receives anL-shaped rod 14 and the opposite opening 12 slideably receives rod 15 ofsimilar configuration. The ends 14 and 15 of rods 14 and 15 respectivelyprovide a means of engaging the backside 16 of the sheet metal 17 andthe front side 18 of sheet metal 17 abuts with the end 19 of block 11when device 10 is adjusted to pull out the sheet metal 17. The threadedends 20 of rods 14 and 15, receive nut fasteners 21 which serve torender rods 14 and 15 stationary in order that sheet metal 17 may bepulled upwards. The nut fasteners 21 abut with the end 22 of block 11when device 10 is adjusted properly and the eyebolt 23 is threaded intoopening 13 and provides a means for engaging a jack or other equipmentto device 10 in order to apply tension for pulling sheet metal 17outwards from the internal or other portion of a vehicle (not shown.)

Prior to operating device 10 a dripp tenplate 24 is used in order toproperly drill opening 24' through sheet metal 17 in order to place rod14 and 15 therethrough. Drill tenplate 24 includes a pair ofspaced-apart rings 26 having openings 27 for the placement of the drillbit and also includes a central handle 25 for holding tenplate 24 whiledrilling the openings 24'.

It shall be noted that the use of drill tenplate 24 provides a means ofdrilling holes 24 so that they will align positively with the rods 14and 15 which are inserted therein behild sheet metal 17 It shall furtherbe noted that a threaded T-bar 28 having a handle 29 is used on sheetmetal 17 in area where the repairman can get behind sheet metal 17.

In use, the rods 14 and 15 are inserted into the opening 24 of sheetmetal 17 after the drill tenplate 24 is used. After manipulating rod 14and 15 so that they overlap, the nut fasteners 21 are tightened upon thethreaded ends 20, thus abutting block 11 with the front side 18 of sheetmetal 17. With the use of the eyebolt 23, tension is applied to block11, thus pulling sheet metal 17 outwards, after which the opening 24 areclosed with plastic.

What I now claim is:

l. A sheet metal pulling device for auto collision work, comprising arectangular metal block, L-shaped rod means carried by said block forurging against the back side of sheet metal in places where workman haveno access to the back side of the sheet metal, an eyebold carried bysaid block to provide engagement means for a jack or the like, nutfastener means carried by said block providing adjustment means for saidrods and retaining means for said rods of said block.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said block is providedwith parallel spaced-apart openings therethrough, said openingsslideably receiving the L-shaped rods, said L-shaped rods providingengagement means for the back of sheet metal to be pulled outwards on avehicle or the like and tenplate tool means provides the proper spacingfor drilling the openings for receiving said rods through said sheetmetal of said vehicle.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said nut fasteners areremoved from said rods in order to manipulate said rods at their shortends within said drill openings of said sheet metal, after which therods are overlapped so to engage the back side of the sheet metal of thevehicle in order to pull said sheet metal outwards.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said rods aremanipulated freely by being disengaged from said block of said device inorder to allow said short ends of said rods to be properly placed behindsaid sheet metal and when said rods are placed within said openings ofsaid block and said nut fasteners are threaded onto the threaded ends ofsaid rods until one end of said block is in abutment with the front sideof said sheet metal, and said short ends of said rods serve as bearingmeans against the backside of said sheet metal when said device ispulled by means of a jack or other device.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said eyebolt isthreadingly engaged with a threaded opening centrally between saidopenings for said rods, and allows a tensile force to be applied to saiddevice by means of jack engaging the eye portion of said eyebolt, thussaid device is used to pull said sheet metal outward and said openingsof said sheet metal are closed with plastic after said rods aredisengaged from said sheet metal by removing said nut fastenerstherefrom.

1. A sheet metal pulling device for auto collision work, comprising arectangular metal block, L-shaped rod means carried by said block forurging against the back side of sheet metal in places where workman haveno access to the back side of the sheet metal, an eyebold carried bysaid block to provide engagement means for a jack or the like, nutfastener means carried by said block providing adjustment means for saidrods and retaining means for said rods of said block.
 2. The combinationaccording to claim 1, wherein said block is provided with parallelspaced-apart openings therethrough, said openings slideably receivingthe L-shaped rods, said L-shaped rods providing engagement means for theback of sheet metal to be pulled outwards on a vehicle or the like andtenplate tool means provides the proper spacing for drilling theopenings for receiving said rods through said sheet metal of saidvehicle.
 3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said nutfasteners are removed from said rods in order to manipulate said rods attheir short ends within said drill openings of said sheet metal, afterwhich the rods are overlapped so to engage the back side of the sheetmetal of the vehicle in order to pull said sheet metal outwards.
 4. Thecombination according to claim 3, wherein said rods are manipulatedfreely by being disengaged from said block of said device in order toallow said short ends of said rods to be properly placed behind saidsheet metal and when said rods are placed within said openings of saidblock and said nut fasteners are threaded onto the threaded ends of saidrods until one end of said block is in abutment with the front side ofsaid sheet metal, and said short ends of said rods serve as bearingmeans against the backside of said sheet metal when said device ispulled by means of a jack or other device.
 5. The combination accordingto claim 4 wherein said eyebolt is threadingly engaged with a threadedopening centrally between said openings for said rods, and allows atensile force to be applied to said device by means of jack engaging theeye portion of said eyebolt, thus said device is used to pull said sheetmetal outward and said openings of said sheet metal are closed withplastic after said rods are disengaged from said sheet metal by removingsaid nut fasteners therefrom.